Job Seekers

Job seekers used to worry their social media profiles could keep them from landing their dream job. And for good reason.
After all, photos of keg stands don’t exactly scream, “future executive.”
Shying away from social media, however, is not the answer.
With recent surveys showing that 92% of companies and recruiters use social media to find job applicants, today’s savvy job seekers leverage social media to their job hunting advantage.
Here are three ways you can do the same.

The right recruiter can be your greatest ally in the job hunting process.
They can lead you towards postings you might not have discovered on your own, help negotiate important job details with a prospective new employer, show resources for brushing up on some key skills, help with interview preparations, and even motivate you when you’re feeling hopeless.
In other words, a recruiter can be a life-line for a job seeker.
When it comes to working with a recruiter, however, it’s important to note that they’re not all created equal.
Like any professional you work with, some are more qualified than others, and some are simply a better fit for you.
If you think that working with a recruiter to find your next job is the right move for you, pay attention to these characteristics to look for to help you find someone who is a perfect partner for you.

Looking for work and coming up empty handed takes a major toll on the ego and it’s easy to let low self-esteem and a slow job market bring your down.
It doesn’t take long to fall into a slump, leaving you wondering if you’ll ever find work again.
When you’re feeling sorry for yourself because you’re between jobs, try these techniques to stay positive and focused on finding the next great opportunity:

Even if you’re not actively seeking work, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.
You never know when an opportunity will come your way and you want to be ready when it does.
This could mean anything from an offer to work at a new company or a promotion within your own organization.
When these openings come your way, you want to be ready to take action and being prepared in advance means you can act fast to get your name in the ring.
Here are the top five career tools to have ready for action:

For a long time, no one considered the idea of employees working from home. For one, jobs were more likely to be physical, such as in factories or agriculture, where it was impossible to not be on site. Even those jobs that were not physical jobs were still too hard to do from home, because for years lack of technology made it too difficult to engage with colleagues and clients. But in the digital era, a vast range of solutions is available for the 43% of Americans who work from home (at least part of the time). Should you join them?

Working from home could be great – if you keep in mind the following:

Maybe you always considered yourself the “straight job” type – working for a traditional company with a regular job. Whether you really believe in a company’s mission or products, or just want subsidized private health care, there are lots of reasons to be a so-called “normal” employee. But for some, being a freelancer is a great opportunity for those who want to have more autonomy, get bored easily, or just want to keep their options open.

Reasons why you might want to be a freelancer:

If you’re a business owner or a salesperson then you know that keeping a client is almost always easier than getting a new one. But although you hear and read a lot about how to get a new job, you hear less about how to keep your job. If you’re currently employed, you are likely concerned about the security of your present job. There are no guarantees -- some things are simply beyond your control. But, when it comes down to tough choices, you can do your best to be one who doesn’t make the cut (in a good way).

There are things you can do to help you keep your job.

Many people are examining the relative advantages and disadvantages of working part time versus full time due to simple economic realities or personal choice. There are a number of factors to consider when looking at part time rather than full-time employment. Working part time offers many personal benefits, and may be why 26 million people work less than 35 hours per week (the official cut off for part time in the U.S.).

Some reasons to consider working part time:

It can be so exciting to get a chance to interview for a new job. Whether it’s because you haven’t had luck finding something, or it’s the company of your dreams, or the beginning of your career, nothing is more devastating than a terrible interview experience. But the reality is that it’s more common than you might think. And it doesn’t have to be the end of the conversation.

What to do after a terrible interview:

Pretty much everyone realizes by now that the digital age has sped up pretty much everything we do. And yet, it takes longer than ever to do things we never did before. This is especially true at the office, where time management tips did not have to include warnings about surfing the internet, checking personal email or sending instant messages. Because . . . none of that stuff was possibly 30 years ago.